Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party

The Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party (XHKS) was a communist political party in Somalia that served as the ruling party from 1976 to 1991. The party was created by military dictator Siad Barre under the guidance of the Soviet Union, and, prior to the Ogaden War with Ethiopia in 1977, the XHKS developed relations with fellow communist parties such as the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the Socialist Unity Party of Germany. The party was in theory a Marxist-Leninist party, but also included Islamic socialism and Somali nationalism in its ideology. In 1977, the party lost the support of the Eastern Bloc due to Somalia's war with communist Ethiopia, and Somalia allied with the United States. In 1981, dissidents within the XHKS formed the SSDF in South Yemen, and the SSDF waged war on Barre's regime from camps in Ethiopia. In 1991, Barre was ejected from power, and the Somali National Front was formed by Barre loyalists after his overthrow.